The Reason
by Jane Colfer
Summary: "The Hessian did indeed have a love of carnage, but the real reason he was content to go to war was that he had something worth fighting for..." HessianxOC Mature warning for Violent and Sexual scenes later on. Some German words mixed in with the English.
1. Chapter 1

"_Auf widersehen_ my friend, I wish you a safe journey."

Prince Klaus smiled as the general made his way to the door, but as soon as it was closed his lips curled in repulsion.

"I am sick of dealing with these _dummkopfs_. How are we supposed to supply the British with troops if all we can offer are brainless people with endless stupidity?"

Princess Innogen placed a hand on her brother's, smiling gently at him.

"You must have patience _mein bruder_. Nobody has even asked us for support yet."

"That's because everybody thinks we're weak just because we're only a small principality! I can imagine Frederick laughing at us right now." He groaned, placing his head in his hands. "There are many things I can put up with Innogen but being laughed at is not one of them."

"They won't. Besides, didn't you manage to secure an interview with that Hessian Mercenary? The One nobody else has been able to get before?" Innogen said softly, her smile becoming a crafty smirk.

Klaus soon returned the smile, remembering his message to the elusive warrior.

"Yesss... we have that in our favour."

"When is he due to arrive?"

"I'm not sure, he never sent a reply but reports claim he's..."

**BANG**

The two royals looked up, Klaus immediately standing up as he stared at the doorway.

Stood there was a tall, pale-skinned man in a black mercenary suit and cape. His black hair was brushed back wildly, framing his fearsome looking face... and what a face. The teeth had been filed into sharp points and his eyes were a demonically pale blue. The man was truly a demon, the kind of creature you would scare a child with.

This was the Hessian Mercenary.

As Klaus beheld this creature, he grinned. Now he understood why this man had such a dark reputation, seeing a face like that could make you welcome death. If he had this man on his side not only would it improve his standing as a prince but would almost certainly secure a great deal of success during the fights.

Little did he know that Innogen was hatching her own plans for the unusual being being. The man was not exactly handsome but he had an impressive figure and this overwhelming presence of authority, such a man would make a formidable prince... her desire to overthrow her brother was her best kept secret and she didn't want him to discover that she had already planned how to kill him, but that didn't mean she couldn't secure a strong husband while he was still here.

"_Was wollen sie_? Why have you summoned me here?" The hessian asked in a hissing voice, his pale eyes fixing on the two royals.

Klaus looked at his sister.

"Things are looking up, _meine schwester_."


	2. Chapter 2

"Be careful with that _saumensch_, that flour needs to last this place a week." Rosa complained, watching as Daria carelessly dropped the bag of flour onto the kitchen table.

"Not much chance of that, we've got another guest to feed and there are reports of more on the way."

Rosa turned sharply, dropping a metal spoon and cursing loudly.

"_Scheisse_! Are they trying to work me to death or what? It's bad enough with the amount the court eats at the moment without adding more people to the list! Who's here anyway?"

"Rumours are he's a Hessian Mercenary, supposed to be very tricky to get." Daria leaned forward, her voice dropping low to make her sound mysterious. "I didn't see him but one of the guards told me this Hessian does not look normal. Apparently his teeth are filed down to sharp points and his eyes are icy-blue. Everyone who's seen him is terrified."

A young dark haired girl looked up from where she was chopping vegetables.

"Maybe he's a _kabold_." She suggested, causing Rosa to shake her head.

"That's _kobold_. Honestly Billie, you've been with us a year and you still can't speak fluently."

"I can speak fluent enough to you Rosa." Billie retorted, her voice still tinged with a heavy Scottish accent. "Anyone down here I can talk to but if I go higher up I'm stuffed. Why do you think Innogen has me beaten so often?"

"I thought that was because she didn't like you?" Daria asked, leaning against the table.

"Ay there's that too, but the main thing is I can't understand her half the time! I don't even know what insults she's saying to me, so obviously I can't respond the right way and she has me whipped."

"Well maybe if you spent more time studying the language or at least on your castle duties you'd pick it up easier."

"I'm doing the best I can Rosa." Billie said, returning to her work with an irritated sigh. "What else do we know about this mercenary anyway?"

"No much, I haven't had much chance to find out. But there's one thing I know about him that will get you interested."

"Why would someone like that possibly be interesting to me?"

"Because of his horse."

Billie stopped, looking up at Daria with a suddenly fascinated expression.

"Horse?"

"_Ja_, an absolutely gorgeous black stallion. And not too trusting either, I saw the stable-hands having a rough time with it when I came in. Maybe you should use some of your special charm to tame it for them..."

"Don't you go giving her any ideas! She neglects her duties enough spending time in that godforsaken stable." Rosa burst out, glaring at Daria.

"Give over Rosa; you know she belongs there more than she belongs here! She should have been a stable-hand in the first place!"

"But she's not, and she needs to remember that. It's her responsibility..."

Billie tuned out of their conversation, thinking about what Daria had said.

A wild, black stallion. Already she could picture the beautiful creature in her head and if it was truly as wild as she imagined, this may be her chance to prove herself. Growing up on a farm in the Scottish Highlands, she'd had plenty of practise with horses and was even better than her father and brother with the wild ones. She remembered her mother telling her she had an affinity with horses, a special gift that only they could understand... Billie just thought she was good with them because she didn't treat them like dumb animals. The problem here was that she'd been brought down so low that nobody believed how good she was with them, if she could just have the chance to show them what she could do then maybe...

"Are you listening to me girl?"

"Hmm?" Billie snapped out of her daydream, looking over at Rosa. "What did you say?"

Rosa sighed, rolling her eyes slightly in defeat.

"Well you aren't going to get any work done until you've seen the beast. I tell you what, go and take today's supply of oats to the stables and have a look at this new horse. But don't spend all day there, you hear me? I expect you back in fifteen minutes? You got that?"

Billie's face lit up and she stood up quickly, running over to hug Rosa tightly.  
>"<em>Danke<em> Rosa! I won't forget this!"

"Alright alright, just go before I change my mind." She watched the girl grab the bag of oats and run out of the kitchen, sighing again. "That girl needs to learn her place and soon."

"I wish you'd give her a break Rosa, she's not like us. You know she didn't choose to be here."

"I know Daria, but she can't change the past."

"That doesn't mean she has to give up on the future!" Daria snapped, turning away and storming out of the kitchen.

Rosa sat down at the table, taking a gulp of beer as she tried to calm down.

"Politics are simple compared to normal people; I bet the Prince would think he had a cushy job after spending a day down here with us." She muttered, swigging the beer again before getting up to continue the cooking.


End file.
